Updated posted by Jen Barraza 6 months ago
After four months in hospital, Doug...
After four months in hospital, Doug is now home.
Next, we begin the exausting challenge of grappling with home health care. The post transplant meds order was so large that it was delivered with it's own swag bag :-/
In spite of the odds - and there were times when they were pretty slim - we DID make it to the top of the mountain. Now comes the part where we have to climb down the other side - already exausted, legs shaking, being careful not to stumble... taking it one day at a time...
Looking ahead... priorities include stocking up on med supplies, meal planning and transportation for the daily clinic visits.
THANK YOU for your support - we could not have made it to this point without you.
--- Laura Durant
Updated posted by Jen Barraza 7 months ago
On September 25th, almost 8 years...
On September 25th, almost 8 years to the day from when he was first diagnosed with leukemia - Doug got a "reboot" on his life. A single small bag of stem-cells was flown in from an undisclosed donor and delivered to the hospital within a few hours of arrival.
The transplant itself was eventfully... uneventful. Everyone present carefully watched the IV bag of cell-laden liquid flow down a slender plastic tube towards his chest catheter. Laura held his hand as this crimson miracle quietly entered his body and recalled the challenges they had to overcome just to get to this moment. Then Laura lit up a handfull of small electric tea candles and in keeping with (informal) tradition, the staff joined her in singing to him.... Happy Birthday.
There will be many weeks of (sometimes painful) recovery ahead for them and eventually Doug will even need to have a brand-new round of immunization shots just as if he were a newborn (hence the "Happy Birthday"). But for that moment - just for that night - they celebrated a delicious window of respite.
Thank you dear friends for your support and encouragement - it's what has kept them going. If you'd like to wish Doug a happy "new" birthday - please send messages to: dougdurant@cox.net
Updated posted by Jen Barraza 8 months ago
What do you plan to do...
Created by Jen Barraza on August 6, 2012
Please help by offering friendship, emotional and financial
support to Doug & Laura Durant.
Doug is in a huge battle with lymphoma and will need our
ongoing support and love to give him the energy to beat this. Doug's monthly
insurance premium is over $2000 a month and the insurance does not cover all of
the expenses associated with a lengthy hospital stay. Their portion of the
expense (not covered by insurance) can reach $20,000.
After spending most of the summer in hospital, Doug has now
moved to the transplant center and is in the preparation phase for a stem-cell
transplant. This is an ongoing battle
Doug is fighting. He will spend many weeks in hospital and then many more
months at home recuperating. The long-term care is something they cannot financially
endure and any donation (even $5) will help them. Let's show him that he's not
alone.
As you well know, Durant Communications makes a tremendous
contribution to actors, producers, theatres, and teachers, by providing
audition information, class information, and “Starving Actor” discounts, to
name of few of their many services.
It’s time to give back.
Help by donating, posting videos, well wishes, pictures and by sharing this page... show Doug and Laura that they are in our thoughts and that TEAM DURANT is behind them.
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Come Friday, count on what little I can provide. It may not be much, but I'd be happy to help where I can.
posted by Jarrod Barger 9 months ago